From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 30: Two prominent State Highways between Mangalore and Madikeri as also Bangalore and Mysore would be upgraded into National Highways if the Centre accepts Karnataka government’s proposal.

Karnataka’s Public Works Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa, who met the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes in Delhi on August 27, told reporters on his return that the State Public Works Department had proposed upgradation of the two State Highways into National Highways to ensure smooth flow of traffic and for the convenience of the people of the region.

The proposal on upgradation of the two State Highways into National Highways has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways headed by Oscar Fernandes on August 28, the minister said.

Dr Mahadevappa said the government can save a lot of money to the State exchequer by handing over state highways to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Maintenance of roads was a major source of expenditure to the PWD, he said.

He said the State Governemnt has urged the Centre to take declare 200 km ring road around Bangalore as national highway to de-congest city roads and also to relieve the State PWD of the responsibility of their maintenance and upkeep.

The ring road from Dobaspet, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Hoskote, Sarjapur, Anekal, Kanakapura, Ramanagaram and Magadi would also connect all satellite towns proposed by the government.

The minister said barely around 100 kms of roads in the State have been declared as National Highways and developed as per NH standards.

Another proposal has been submitted to develop road from Srirangapatna to Chamarajanagar via Nanjangud, a distance of 120 km, he said.

Karnataka has also submitted 24 proposals to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for upgrading a length of 4283.95 km of state highways to national highways.

State highways in the regions of coastal, Mumbai Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka would be upgraded to national highways.

Though NH roads constituted less than two per cent of the total road network in the country, they constituted 40 per cent of the total volume of traffic.

While the number of vehicles have increased by 180 fold in the State, the minister said the road network has increased by nine fold and said the State Government has impressed upon Oscar Fernandes, who hails from coastal Karnataka, to redress the injustice done to Karnataka over the years.